Война миров

           Hereandtheretheywerescattered,nearlyfiftyaltogether,inthatgreatgulftheyhadmade,overtakenbyadeaththatmusthaveseemedtothemasincomprehensibleasanydeathcouldbe. Tomealsoatthattimethisdeathwasincomprehensible. AllIknewwasthatthesethingsthathadbeenaliveandsoterribletomenweredead. ForamomentIbelievedthatthedestructionofSennacheribhadbeenrepeated,thatGodhadrepented,thattheAngelofDeathhadslaintheminthenight. 

           Istoodstaringintothepit,andmyheartlightenedgloriously,evenastherisingsunstrucktheworldtofireaboutmewithhisrays. Thepitwasstillindarkness; themightyengines,sogreatandwonderfulintheirpowerandcomplexity,sounearthlyintheirtortuousforms,roseweirdandvagueandstrangeoutoftheshadowstowardsthelight. Amultitudeofdogs,Icouldhear,foughtoverthebodiesthatlaydarklyinthedepthofthepit,farbelowme. Acrossthepitonitsfartherlip,flatandvastandstrange,laythegreatflying-machinewithwhichtheyhadbeenexperimentinguponourdenseratmospherewhendecayanddeatharrestedthem. Deathhadcomenotadaytoosoon. AtthesoundofacawingoverheadIlookedupatthehugefighting-machinethatwouldfightnomoreforever,atthetatteredredshredsoffleshthatdrippeddownupontheoverturnedseatsonthesummitofPrimroseHill. 

           Iturnedandlookeddowntheslopeofthehilltowhere,enhaloednowinbirds,stoodthoseothertwoMartiansthatIhadseenovernight,justasdeathhadovertakenthem. Theonehaddied,evenasithadbeencryingtoitscompanions; perhapsitwasthelasttodie,anditsvoicehadgoneonperpetuallyuntiltheforceofitsmachinerywasexhausted. Theyglitterednow,harmlesstripodtowersofshiningmetal,inthebrightnessoftherisingsun.